Ranches across the Show-Me State manage approximately two million cattle — a significant number of which are Angus, a top-tier breed that has unrivaled success in the commercial beef market. In a new study, University of Missouri researcher Jared Decker and Thompson Research Farm tested a group of commercial Angus cows using a commercial genomic prediction tool called Zoetis GeneMax Advantage to investigate the…
Research ⋅ Page 2
When science becomes humanitarian
CAFNR scientist applies decades of research to help Ukrainian farmers restore farmland damaged in Russian war
Ukraine has long been one of the world’s top producers of grains like wheat, corn and barley, and produces half of the world’s sunflower oil, but Russia’s invasion and the war following have left the country’s agriculture industry with a litany of problems to overcome to continue serving as the world’s breadbasket. Ukraine’s Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food has…
Sweet Science
A CAFNR researcher finds a better way to make non-dairy ice cream treats
The world is getting a little sweeter for people who prefer non-dairy ice cream options thanks to one Mizzou researcher who has developed a better tasting, smoother soy ice cream. For her PhD dissertation, Yun Wang experimented with creating a soy-based ice cream from a special type of soybean oil derived from soybeans bred by CAFNR faculty member Andrew Scaboo.…
A Race Against Time
A CAFNR researcher searches for answers to a spreading threat, uses CAFNR Joy of Discovery Seed Grant Program to secure NIFA funding
Phelipanche aegyptiaca, a parasitic plant commonly known as Egyptian broomrape, has been wreaking havoc on farmers’ crops in Africa and Mediterranean Europe since the ‘90s, and, in 2014, it found its way to the United States when it was discovered in a crop of tomato plants in northern California. The plant is difficult to detect and eradicate once it takes…
An Unpredictable Path
An Atmospheric Sciences graduate student contributes to national hurricane outlook
Growing up, Atmospheric Sciences graduate student Sarah Weaver experienced three tornados. Now, through her PhD program at Mizzou, she is contributing to national hurricane forecasts, helping keep others safe from devastating severe weather and finding her career path. “I honestly think maybe hurricane forecasting is my calling,” Weaver said. “You know you love it if you’re not working, and I…
A Natural Fit
Linn County Extension moves into facility at Cornett Farm
MU Extension Field Specialist Valerie Tate sat at her desk near Linneus as her co-worker popped in. “Oh, hey, do you mind if I put these insect traps up around the farm as part of the statewide MU IPM pest monitoring network?” Tate asked. When she asked this question, Tate was already on “the farm.” Tate works out of the…
MU Center for Agroforestry Hosts Education Events for Producers this Summer
Offerings Include Elderberry, General Agroforestry Practices and Nut Growing
This summer, the MU Center for Agroforestry will host three events aimed at helping those producing or interested in producing elderberry, nut trees and practicing agroforestry. Each event is designed to provide classroom and hands-on learning that will benefit both new and experienced growers. Comprehensive Elderberry Workshop and Orchard Tour Set for June 15-16 in Columbia, this workshop explores one…
Missouri Farm Income Projected to Decline in 2023
State-level report identifies key changes in projected net farm income
Missouri’s net farm income is predicted to fall in 2023 following a record-setting 2022, according to the spring 2023 Missouri Farm Income Outlook report. The report, released by the Rural and Farm Finance Policy Analysis Center (RaFF) at the University of Missouri, provides comprehensive insights that can equip industry stakeholders and policymakers with information to understand the state-level impacts of economic factors,…
Putting the AI in AI
Animal Sciences research team awarded $1 million NIFA grant to improve artificial insemination with artificial intelligence
Peter Sutovsky, professor of animal sciences, and one of his postdoctoral researchers, Lauren Hamilton, were recently awarded a $1.3 million grant by USDA-National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) to support their work in creating artificial intelligence they hope will not only help farmers and the agriculture industry, but couples battling infertility, too. “We want to translate this into any…
Blooms Like it Hot. But, Also, Cold?
CAFNR researcher works with international team to discover prevalence of cold-water algae blooms
Rebecca North, assistant professor of water quality in CAFNR’s School of Natural Resources, learned and lived by a paradigm commonly accepted among limnologists around the world — “blooms like it hot” – meaning that water temperatures must be warm for algae blooms to develop. But, a recently published study co-authored by North could dismantle this long-held belief. “You only take…